Meaning
暗 describes the absence or lack of light, or something concealed from view. It can refer to physical darkness like a dark room, or metaphorically to hidden, secret, or covert things. It's commonly used in both everyday situations and more literary contexts.
Usage
暗 is frequently combined with other characters to form compound words. In everyday speech, you'll hear 很暗 (very dark) or 太暗了 (too dark). It can describe lighting conditions, colors that are deep or dull, or abstract concepts like hidden intentions. Native speakers often use it in contrast with 明 (bright).
Examples
- 01房间里太暗了，请把灯打开。, .The room is too dark, please turn on the light.
- 02他暗中帮助了很多人。.He secretly helped many people.
Common collocations
- 黑暗darkness, dark
- 暗中secretly, in the dark
- 阴暗dim, gloomy
- 暗示to hint, to imply
Antonyms
Origin
The character 暗 is composed of 日 (sun/day) on the left and 音 (sound) on the right. The semantic component 日 relates to light, while 音 provides the phonetic element, creating a character meaning the opposite of brightness.